Caloric vestibular stimulation (“CVS”) has long been known as a diagnostic procedure for testing the function of the vestibular system. In the traditional hospital setting, water caloric tests are used to assess levels of consciousness during acute or chronic brain injury. The brain injury may be due to head trauma or a central nervous system event such as a stroke. Other brain injuries occur in the presence of metabolic abnormalities (e.g., kidney disease, diabetes), seizures, or toxic levels of controlled substances or alcohol.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0195588 to Fischell et al. discusses a stimulator in an ear canal that is adapted to provide magnetic, electrical, audible, tactile or caloric stimulation. Fischell proposes a ring-shaped caloric transducer strip on an ear canal sensor/stimulator system that may result in relatively slow thermal changes of the ear canal.
Accordingly, apparatuses and associated methods useful for delivering stimulation to the nervous system and/or the vestibular system of an individual that may be capable of relatively fast temperature changes are potentially beneficial to take full advantage of physiological responses that are useful in diagnosing and/or treating a variety of medical conditions.